Elementary & Middle School Redistricting
Implementation Year: 2020-21 School Year
For Spanish assistance, please contact Maria Black at 254-4202.
Resources:
Cropper GIS Consulting is managing the redistricting process for New Hanover County Schools that includes a special webpage to be filled with meeting materials and a repository for information related to the realignment process that will be shared with the Redistricting Committee and the Public.
Objective & Guiding Principles
New Hanover County Schools has established a set of objectives and guiding principles to begin the process of redistricting elementary and middle schools for the 2020-21 School Year. The process will be led by a national consultant, Cropper GIS Consulting, and realignment work will be driven by a committee that consist of board members, central office staff, school principals, teachers, parents, and community representatives. The focus of the redistricting committee will be to develop recommendations that meet the following objectives, while adhering to the guiding principles as best as possible.
Objectives
- Populate the new Porters Neck Elementary School opening for the 2020-21 school year
- Account for increased building capacity with replacement of Blair and College Park Elementary Schools
- Maximize efficient use of classroom space, especially at the elementary level, in light of the K-3 class size reduction mandate
- Reduce overcrowding
- plan for future growth within the County
Guiding Principles
The Board of Education believes every school should be successful. Therefore, the following guiding principles for redistricting have been established. The Redistricting Committee, in its School Assignment proposals to the Board of Education, shall apply the following guiding principles:
- Balance school facility utilization
Make every effort to have equitable utilization (where possible) across the district and in accordance with school capacities and funded allotment ratios in accordance with state law. Make efficient use of available space. - Account for future growth
Allow for increasing attendance in high growth areas. - Establish clear feeder patterns and continuity
Make every effort to establish a clear feeder pattern system (especially from middle school to high school), although it may be necessary to split an elementary school to feed to two or more middle schools. Make every effort to divide a large enough population so students can continue to the next level with familiar faces. - Minimize impact on students
Attempt to minimize the amount of students impacted when making boundary adjustments. - Consider economic, cultural, and ethnic diversity
Ensure schools are inclusionary and not adversely affected by realignment decisions. - Close Proximity
Students should be assigned to the school within the closest proximity to their homes where possible.
All criteria are in no particular order or priority, and the best plan is one that touches on all criteria but does not focus solely on one element of the criteria.